RESIDENCE VISA

KSA - Family Residence Visa Process

This process involved mainly two to three parts. One part has to be done in your home country (E.G. PAKISTAN) and second part to be done in KSA. Following are the main steps involved. These steps are detailed enough to do whole process yourself, but now a days agent do these all things for you in PAKISTAN. As in PAKISTAN you need to get things attested from CULTURE and SAUDI EMBASSY and ARABIC translations which take time, and agent do that all for extra charges.

First step is to prepare to get family visa from KSA. Things you need are

1. Your original degree / diploma certificate
2. Your original marriage certificate
3. Copies of Birth certificates of your children
4. Arabic translation of your marriage certificate
5. Arabic translation of your degree / diploma certificate

All above things need to be attested from your HOME COUNTRY.

Note that all of these have to be done in your home country. For your degree certificate, you must first get the same attested by the HRD Ministry or the Ministry of Education (where applicable) of your home country's government. Once this is done, it has to be re-attested by the Saudi Embassy in your home country.

Once you have all above you need to bring them to KSA. The first part of your family visa case in completed.

The Second step is to prepare an application in KSA. Things you need are

1. A permanent family visa application form, this form is in ARABIC and is easily available from WAZARAT-E-DAKHILIA (MINSITRY OR INTERIOR). Fill this form very carefully take help from someone who know good ARABIC. (In Riyadh you can get this form from Ministry near HAI-UL-WAZARAH area on ABDUL AZIZ road)
2. While filling form you have to mention names in ENGLISH, same spelling as they appear on the passport. All other things are ARABIC. THIS FORM HAS TO BE ATTESTED FROM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. Once form is filled attach following things.
3. Copy of your IQAMA.
4. Original salary certificate / introduction letter from your company in Arabic with salary details attested by the Chamber of Commerce.
5. Copy of the passport for each family member. (children and spouse)
6. Copy of your own passport, first page and visa (IQAMA) page.
7. Copy of birth certificate for each of your children
8. Copy of your marriage certificate (ATTESTED IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY)
9. Arabic translation of the copy of your marriage certificate (ATTESTED IN HOME COUNTRY)
10. Copy of your degree / diploma certificate which has been attested. (ATTESTED IN HOME COUNTRY, SAUDI CULTURE, EMBASSY AND HEC)
11. Arabic translation of your degree / diploma certificate.
12. Copy of your work permit card (the original is normally attached to the passport and will be in custody of your sponsor)
13. If you are going personally, keep ready with you the originals of the following:

    1. Original degree certificate

    2. Original marriage certificate

    3. Original Iqama

    4. Original work permit card

Once you have all above you need to go to MOI (WAZARAT-E-DAKHILIA), the best time to go is morning early like 7AM. People queue outside gate from 6AM normally. But going early make you free by 10AM or so. Sometime if you go late they told you to come tomorrow as they are no more issuing tokens for serving on the same date.

If everything goes well, on you turn after verifications of above you will be given  a so-called 'Yellow Slip' (FAMILY VISA) immediately. Get a color photo copy of this yellow slip for your records and send the original to your family in your home country along with copies of following. If this guy ask you for traveling station tell him it's KARACHI. This means your visa will be issued to KARACHI embassy. Or get as per near embassy to your home town.

The third and last step is to get this visa stamped from your home country, this is not difficult as the yellow slip is with you every thing else is fine. This is the step where you need an agent, he will charge 5-10K depending what he did for you, service charges are normally under 5K Rs. but if he is getting attestations, translations etc then he will charge separately. The third step process is following.

Following are the things that has to be dispatched to AGENT, Also confirm from Agent.

1. Original Nikkah Nama.

2. Wife's Original degree and mark sheet.
3. Wife's Original passport and ID Card. (And children passports)

4. Wife's and children  4 snaps each 

5. Your original National ID Card.

6. Original yellow slip. Visa page. Sometime color photo copy works. Ask Agent.

7. Your Passport photo copy.
8. Your visa photo copy. (the one stamped on passport)
9. Your Iqama photo copy. (Very Important)

10. GAMCA Medical Report.

From GAMCA just go to GAMCA center with Passport, 4 Snaps and Visa Print out other than the one's to be dispatched above. And ask them to issue GAMCA number. To be on save side keep all above in a file with you, so that if they demand then you can show them. 

Once you have GAMCA number go to medical center and get the medical done.Once medical is  done we have to send the report to agent as well. Get a copy of the report.

Agent will give an E-NUMBER, take that enumber with a photo copy of GAMCA report to medical center, they will upload it and stamp the copy that it is online now. FAX it to agent. The step 10 and it's detail agent can do it for you if you ask him. But do it yourself (family) is better.

That's it, now you have to call him daily for visa inquiry. It will be given in one working week once you have all details.

DEAR ALL - THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS IT WORKS FOR MANY OF US, PLEASE SHARE THE CHANGES IN THE PROCESS AND YOUR EXPERIENCES IF IS IS DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE.